DIYbanter - View Single Post

Uncle Monster[_3_]

wrote:
Uncle Monster wrote:

... something I read indicates that the heater is for adding heat to the
"control compartment" to fool the thermostat into making the compressor
run for a longer period of time.

Is the heater always on? Maybe it turns off when the compressor runs?
Why heat the control compartment instead of the box?

If the control is heated, the thermostat could still work, but the fridge box
would be colder than without the heater, given the same thermostat setting.

Putting a bulb in the box would just increase the run time without affecting
the box temp.

This could be more efficient with 2 fans and 2 thermostats and no heater.

Disabling the door heater and auto-defrost could also help.

Nick

You have to understand that the
heater puts out very little heat.
The heat is just enough to trick
the thermostat, not to warm the
refrigerator compartment. Home
refrigerators are designed to
operate within the typical ambient
temperatures found in a living
space. The much more expensive
commercial refrigeration systems
are designed to operate in places
that would be quite uncomfortable
for me and thee. It's all about
cost and affordability. What I've
seen of Sub-Zero refrigerators, a
line of very expensive refrigerators,
looks like commercial equipment to
me, I couldn't afford one.

[8~{} Uncle Monster